Recapping the Most Unhinged Moments From Travis and Jason Kelce’s Live ‘New Heights’ in Cincinnati

Alright nah! Travis and Jason Kelce hosted a live “New Heights” show at their alma mater, and it was just as chaotic as Us expected.

Travis, 34, and Jason, 36, visited their old stomping grounds at the University of Cincinnati on Thursday, April 11, for a podcast taping and the first-ever Lombaby Games (a take on the NFL’s Lombardi Trophy). The brothers hyped up the event for weeks before fans filled Fifth-Third Arena on Thursday night.

“We’ve always wanted to do something for this university, for this city,” Travis said as the show began. “You guys have injected us with so much love for the game of football and so much passion.”

Thursday’s festivities featured nods to some of the most viral “New Heights” moments and a few not-so-subtle shout-outs to Travis’ girlfriend, Taylor Swift. Jason’s wife, Kylie Kelce, watched from the sidelines — and was even spotted snapping photos and signing autographs for 30 minutes after the event wrapped up. Donna and Ed Kelce supported their sons during their honorary graduation ceremony, which concluded with Travis’ favorite catchphrase: “You gotta fight for your right to party.”

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Scroll down for a recap of the most unhinged moments from the live “New Heights” show:

Welcoming the Swifties

After making their entrances — which were complete with pyrotechnics, of course — Jason and Travis removed their hats to sing the national anthem, and it wasn’t the worst version Us has heard. (Sorry, Fergie.)

When the brothers officially kicked off the festivities, they gave a shout-out to all their fans. “Bearcats, 92%ers, Swifties,” Jason began as the crowd erupted into cheers.

The Lombaby Games

Before interviewing their special guests, Jason and Travis put current UC students to the test in an all-out battle between Team Academic and Team Athletic (a.k.a. nerds vs. jocks). The groups faced off in a series of challenges for the chance at winning the Lombaby Trophy, whose origins are familiar to frequent “New Heights” listeners. Team Academic was ultimately victorious.

Travis Tries (and Fails) to Spell ‘Squirrel’

A spelling bee was part of the games, giving Travis the perfect opportunity to prove he does, in fact, know how to read. Travis attempted to spell “squirrel,” throwing it back to one of his old tweets that went viral in 2023. “F—k you guys!” he teased after getting stumped. (Team Athletic’s Jizzle James spelled the word with ease.)

Shaking It Off

During a round of “name that song,” the marching band played Swift’s “Shake It Off.” Travis immediately started dancing, gushing after the music stopped that it’s “one of my favorites.” He’s not the only fan — Jason said his eldest daughter, Wyatt, also loves the 1989 hit.

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“Shake It Off” might be Travis’ favorite, but the crowd went even more wild when “22 (Taylor’s Version)” played over the loudspeakers. Another video showed “Cruel Summer” blasting through the venue — who knew The Eras Tour was stopping in Cincinnati?

‘Twilight’ (Kelce Version)

An edited Twilight movie poster with Jason as Edward Cullen and Kylie as Bella Swan flashed on the big screen. Jason proved himself to be an unofficial expert on the vampire series in a June 2023 podcast clip, and he hasn’t lived it down since.

Pools of Skyline Chili

The Lombaby Games featured a nod to Cincinnati's famous Skyline Chili for a game inspired by Jason losing his Super Bowl ring in a hilarious Kelce documentary scene. Students piled into inflatable pools filled with spaghetti and chili — and things got messy.

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The Sandwich Cannon

While at first glance it appeared as though Travis wielded an average T-shirt cannon as he hyped up the crowd, he was actually firing off Subway sandwiches. “Aerial lunchmeat always does the trick. #Bearcats,” one attendee tweeted. (Earlier in the night, Donna was spotted handing out sandwiches to eager fans.)

Jason’s Quick Change

There was a break in the program between the Lombaby Games and the podcast taping, and when Jason returned, he was rocking a pair of bright red gym shorts paired with Timberlands and a sleeveless varsity jacket.

Taylor Swift Spotted (Sort Of)

Not only did fans bring friendship bracelets to trade at the podcast taping, but one attendee even brought a cardboard cutout of Swift to join them in the stands.